College dismissal can have a lasting—perhaps even permanent—impact on your professional future. Many students don't realize that dismissal doesn't just mean leaving college. Bellevue, for instance, adds a notation to your transcript that explains the particulars of your dismissal. That can make it difficult, to impossible, to enroll somewhere else, and that means entering the job market—and paying back student loans—with no degree whatsoever.
In short, you cannot afford to take chances with a dismissal defense. If you're in trouble at Bellevue and someone has mentioned the "D" word, you need help--the very best help you can get. You need a Lento Law Firm attorney. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team was founded to protect student rights. We're committed to the proposition that all students deserve a fair shot at a college degree, even if they've made a mistake.
What can we do for you? Call 888-535-3686 to find out, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Reasons for Dismissal from Bellevue College
Bellevue maintains a lot of rules and regulations, more than we could possibly list here. There are really only four categories of offense, though. Know these, and you should know enough to avoid most kinds of serious offenses.
- Academic Deficiencies: You're a student, and Bellevue expects you to go to class and to spend the time you're not in class studying. To help motivate you to do these things, the college has an academic standing policy. Any time your GPA falls below 2.0, you're placed on a special, restricted academic status, and should you continue to struggle, you can eventually wind up dismissed altogether.
- Academic Misconduct: Bellevue also expects you to earn your degree honestly. The college's academic integrity policy bars all forms of classroom dishonesty, including cheating and plagiarism. First offenses aren't usually punished with dismissal. Multiple offenses are, however.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: The academic integrity policy covers academic offenses. Non-academic offenses are covered under the Student Conduct Code. Here, you'll find prohibitions on things like drug possession, hazing, and theft. Even a first offense can result in dismissal if it is serious enough.
- Sexual Misconduct: Though technically a form of disciplinary misconduct, sexual misconduct is serious enough to be treated as its own category of offense. Bellevue's policy is actually mandated by federal law under Title IX, and most cases end in dismissal.
Misconduct Defenses
If you've been accused of some form of misconduct—academic, disciplinary, or sexual—you have due process rights. Bellevue College cannot simply dismiss you over an accusation. You have the right to be presumed “Not Responsible” (innocent), for instance. Bellevue must have evidence of your misconduct, and it must give you the opportunity to refute that evidence.
Here's how the process works.
- Most cases begin with a complaint. That is, someone accuses you of misconduct. That person is referred to as the Complainant. You are referred to as the Respondent. At issue is whether or not you are Responsible for (guilty of) that misconduct.
- The college must issue you notice of the charges so you understand the allegations against you. This notice should also contain a complete list of your due process rights.
- Next, Bellevue will initiate an investigation. Even if you're merely facing charges of cheating, faculty, and administrators must have some evidence to back their claims. As part of the process, you have the right to give your side of the story as well.
- At the conclusion of the investigation, investigators submit a summary of their findings back to the college. The college then sets a time and date for a hearing and selects one or more decision-makers to preside over this hearing.
- Structurally, campus hearings resemble criminal trial procedures you may have seen on TV. That is, both sides make an opening statement. Then, each gets to make their case using evidence and witness testimony. You may also raise questions about any evidence being used against you, and you may cross-examine witnesses.
- One big difference between campus hearings and criminal trials? Decision-makers don't have to find you guilty "beyond a reasonable doubt." They can find that a "preponderance of the evidence" proves you guilty. In simple terms, if they're fifty percent convinced you did it, they'll hold you "Responsible."
- You also have the right to appeal the hearing outcome, though, if you can demonstrate that you were mistreated in some way by the process itself.
Bellevue is relatively unique in that it allows students legal representation. That is, an attorney can handle your entire defense. They can answer investigative questions on your behalf, and they'll conduct the hearing. This is a significant advantage, but you want to make sure to use it wisely. Local or family attorneys don't have the background and experience with campus justice that Lento Law Firm attorneys do. We've represented hundreds of students, and we know what to expect.
Dealing With Academic Dismissal
Lento Law Firm attorneys can also help with academic dismissal cases, though these don't generally involve investigations or hearings. Decisions are usually based exclusively on your GPA, and that isn't normally subject to debate.
You do have options, though, for defending yourself. For example,
- If you've been dealing with extenuating circumstances, such as a family emergency or a serious illness, you can file a formal appeal for an additional quarter to improve.
- Federal disability laws protect you if you have a learning disability. You must be afforded appropriate classroom accommodations, and when you aren't, the college must allow you to retake courses without penalty.
- Some faculty will consider assigning makeup or extra credit work to students with borderline grades. You may have to ask for this work, and instructors may say no, but this can be a quick and easy way to keep your GPA out of the danger zone.
Fighting for Your Future
By this point, it should be abundantly clear why trying to defend yourself from dismissal is always a dangerous proposition. It's no easy task taking on a university, and the stakes are incredibly high. Luckily, you don't have to go it alone. The Lento Law Firm was built to help students. Our Student Defense Team can also be fierce when it comes to protecting our clients, and we're not afraid of faculty and administrators.
Let us help you fight for your academic future. To find out more, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686. Or, fill out our online questionnaire.
